The Road towards or away from Lambeth 2008?

July-August 1998, Lambeth: Lambeth Resolution 1.10, which rejects â€œhomosexual practice as incompatible with Scriptureâ€ and â€œcannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions.â€

October 2003, Primates Meeting: â€˜If his (Robinsonâ€™s) consecration proceeds, we recognise that we have reached a crucial and critical point in the life of the Anglican Communion and we have had to conclude that the future of the Communion itself will be put in jeopardy. In this case, the ministry of this one bishop will not be recognised by most of the Anglican world, and many provinces are likely to consider themselves to be out of Communion with the Episcopal Church (USA). This will tear the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level (our emphasis ed.), and may lead to further division on this and further issues as provinces have to decide in consequence whether they can remain in communion with provinces that choose not to break communion with the Episcopal Church (USA).
Similar considerations apply to the situation pertaining in the Diocese of New Westminster.â€™

November 2003, Gay Bishop: Ordination of Victoria Eugenia (baptismal name) Gene Robinson, first openly gay priest to the bishopric of New Hampshire

October 2004, Windsor Report: â€˜Actions to move towards the authorisation of such rites (of blessing same-sex unions) in the face of opposition from the wider Anglican Communion constitutes a denial of the bonds of Communion. In order for these bonds to be properly acknowledged and addresses, the churches proposing to take action must be able, as a beginning, to demonstrate to the rest of the Communion why their proposal meets the criteria of scripture, tradition and reason.â€™

February 2005, Primates Meeting Dromantine: Twelve primates do not take Communion with Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

â€˜We request that the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada voluntarily withdraw their members from the Anglican Consultative Council for the period leading up to the next Lambeth Conference. During that period we request that both churches respond through their relevant constitutional bodies to the questions specifically addressed to them in the Windsor Report as they consider their place within the Anglican Communion.â€™

September 2006, Kigali: â€˜Road to Lambethâ€™ published for Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA). â€˜We will definitely not attend any Lambeth Conference to which the violators of the Lambeth Resolution are also invited as participants or observers.â€™

February 2007, Tanzania: Eight primates do not take Communion with Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

â€˜The Primates request, through the Presiding Bishop, that the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church 1) make an unequivocal common covenant that the bishops will not authorise any Rite of Blessing for same-sex unions in their dioceses, or through General Convention, (The Windsor Report Paras 143,144) and 2) confirm that the passing of Resolution BO33 of the 75th General Convention means that a candidate for Episcopal orders living in a same-sex union shall not receive the necessary consent (The Windsor Report Para 134), unless some new consensus on these matters emerges across the Communion.

The Primates request that the answer of the House of Bishops is conveyed to the Primates by 30th September 2007.

If the reassurances requested of the House of Bishops cannot in good conscience be given, the relationship between The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion remains damaged at best, and this has consequences for the full participation of the Church in the life of the Communion.â€™

February 2007 Tanzania Communique, The Recognition of AMiA and CANA: â€˜Although there are particular difficulties associated with AMiA and CANA, the Pastoral Council should negotiate with them and the Primates currently ministering to them to find a place within these provisions. We believe that with goodwill this may be possible.â€™

February 25 2007 The Episcopal Church presses on with â€œGay Marriagesâ€ Far from exercising a moratorium, The Episcopal Church is clearly pressing on with its agenda as evidenced by this civil union ceremony in a Church of Cindy Meneghin & Maureen Kilian [View photo report here->http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/?p=1339]

March 2007, TEC House of Bishops: â€˜We believe that there is an urgent need for us to meet face to face with the Archbishop of Canterbury and members of the primatesâ€™ standing committee, and we hereby request and urge that such a meeting be negotiated by the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury at the earliest possible opportunity,â€™ they said. â€˜We invite the Archbishop and members of the primatesâ€™ standing committee to join us at our expense for three days of prayer and conversation regarding these important matters.â€™

May 2007, TEC Civil Union: Mark Lewis, NJ TEC priest, and K. Dennis Winslow, NY TEC priest, were joined in a civil union at their New Jersey home by TEC priests Tim Hall and Jacqueline Schmidt.

May 2007, Publication of Lambeth Invitation List: The following conservative bishops did not receive invitations:
(1) Robinson Cavalcanti, Bp of Recife, Brazil
(2) Martyn Minns, Bp of the CANA who sits in the Nigerian House of Bishops
(3) Chuck Murphy III, (4) John Rodgers, (5) Alexander Green, (6) Thaddeus Barnum, (7) T.J. Johnson, and (8) Douglas Weiss of the Anglican Mission in America who sit in the Rwandan House of Bishops
Who do these bishops lead and represent?
â€¢ Recife â€“ 4000 people, 32 congregations, 50 clergy
â€¢ CANA â€“ 7000 Anglicans at least. 50 clergy in 32 congregations.
â€¢ AMiA â€“ Over 100 congregations. Allowing for 100 per congregation makes 10,000 people.

Gene Robinson Bishop of New Hampshire also was not invited to Lambeth. He represents 16,000 Anglicans in 49 New Hampshire parishes.

May 2007, Statement of the Primate of All Nigeria: â€˜The withholding of invitation to a Nigerian bishop, elected and consecrated by other Nigerian bishops will be viewed as withholding invitation to the entire House of Bishops of the Church of Nigeria.â€™

May 2007, Statement of the Archbishop of Uganda: â€˜We note that all the American Bishops who consented to, participated in, and have continued to support the consecration as bishop of a man living in a homosexual relationship have been invited to the Lambeth Conference. These are Bishops who have violated the Lambeth Resolution 1.10, which rejects â€œhomosexual practice as incompatible with Scriptureâ€ and â€œcannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions.â€ Accordingly, the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda stands by its resolve to uphold the Road to Lambeth.â€™